CITIZENS COMPASS—Sequel to alleged widespread harassment and intimidation of hijab-wearing female students in Law School examination halls across the country, an Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has called for the suspension of all examinations, an investigation of the incidents and peaceful protests at all Law School campuses.
This was contained in a press release circulated by the Executive Director of the civil liberties organisation, Professor Ishaq Akintola, on Sunday, 1st November, 2026.
”There was harassment and intimidation of hijab-wearing female Muslim students in some Law School examination halls across the country yesterday, Saturday, 31st November, 2026.
”Hijabites who came hoping to sit for their call to bar final examinations were disallowed from entering the examination halls. In some places, they were forced to remain standing outside for about one hour until they removed their hijabs before they were allowed to enter and start the examination.
”While this was going on, our office was inundated with telephone calls, text messages and chats. We heard the cries of traumatised candidates, the lamentations of distressed parents hundreds of kilometers away from the examination centres and the agitation of concerned Muslims around the country.
”MURIC strongly condemns the wanton disruption of the lawful educational pursuit of innocent Muslim ladies. It is crude, irrational and sadistic.
”We are shocked to our marrows that it is the Law School, the bastion of law education and the centre of legal excellence that is involved in the denigration of court pronouncements.
”This is because the Law School cannot claim ignorance of the provisions of Section 38 (i) & (ii) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) which guarantees freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including freedom to manifest and propagate religion.
”Neither is the fountain of legalistic technicalities oblivious of the Supreme Court decision in Lagos State Govt & Ors v. Asiyat Abdulkareem (2022) SC which affirmed that banning or restricting hijab is discriminatory.
”We affirm that exposing law students to such degrading and highly traumatizing experiences as happened yesterday at Law School examination centres violates Section 42 of our font et origo which guarantees the right to freedom from discrimination.
”The forceful undressing of our daughters at Law School examination centers in Nigeria is an open contravention of Section 34 (a) which upholds the dignity of the human person by declaring authoritatively, unequivocally and emphatically that ‘no person shall be subject to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment’.
”In view of all the above observations and the prevailing anti-Muslim sentiment in the Law School, we hereby call for the suspension of all Law School examinations pending them outcome of an investigation into the circumstances leading to the incidents of harrassment, profiling, stigmatization and open stripping of Muslim female students in hijab.
”We demand that all harassed candidates who request for a rewrite must be allowed to do so, particularly those who were delayed outside the examination halls for up to 15 (fifteen) minutes (of course we are aware that some spent up to one hour outside before succumbing to the draconian directive).
”In addition, we call attention to Section 35 of the Constitution which grants the right to hold protests. Furthermore, we give notice of peaceful protests in all Law School campuses around the country if the above demands are not met.
”The protests shall be carried out by parents of the humiliated hijabites, Muslim youths and other Muslim stakeholders.
”Although Muslims are a significant majority in this country, yet they are treated like third class citizens. Muslim rights are serially abused. The civil liberties of Muslims are denied even when they are boldly written in the nation’s grundnorm. Good examples are the acts of impunity which occurred in the Law School campuses yesterday.
”We enjoin Muslims to ignite their demographic majority status. It is not an empty claim. It is high time we created action units in all Islamic
organisations. We must demand our rights. Freedom is never freely given, you must struggle for it. The oppressors will always drag you down but you must be resilient.
”It was Martin Luther King who said freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor, it must be demanded by the oppressed.
”MURIC denounces the docility of Muslim elders and parents. This is a failure of parenthood. In loco parentis, we are not only expected to send our children and wards to school but to also monitor and protect them.
”We therefore charge the parents of those female Muslim students who suffered persecution in the hands of Law School yesterday to identify with this peaceful call. You must stand up for your daughters. If you fail to stand up today, you and your children may cry over it tomorrow.
”Until the philosophy that regards one religion superior and another inferior is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned, Muslims will not enjoy civil rights and the international principle of equal rights and justice will remain a fleeting illusion, only to be pursued but never attained by Muslims. Unfortunately you can never enjoy what you never attain.
”MURIC’s hope is in the Muslim youths. Muslim youths must play the role of game changers. The silence and inaction of the elders led to intimidation and coercion being experienced by Muslims in a country where they form the majority. We therefore urge the youth to be prepared for a peaceful struggle for the civil liberty of Nigerian Muslims.
The only caveat, of course, is that whoever joins this struggle must abide by MURIC’s peaceful mode of struggle. Our motto is ‘Dialogue, No Violence’ and by that motto we shall always abide.”
